


States of Matter

by kuolettava (salainen)



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Asexual Character, Genderfluid Character, Other, Polyamory Negotiations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-17
Updated: 2013-12-17
Packaged: 2018-01-04 22:50:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1086590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/salainen/pseuds/kuolettava
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Newt and Hermann have a very important chat over lunch.</p><p>Written for the <a href="http://pacificrimkink.livejournal.com/2747.html?view=4679611#t4679611">kink meme</a>!</p>
            </blockquote>





	States of Matter

"There's a hole in your tights," is the first thing Hermann says to zer when ze walks into the lab that morning. And he's right; there is a rather large tear in the fabric of Newt's leggings, right around zer left knee where it sticks out from under zer plaid skirt.

"Good morning to you too," ze shoots back. "And it's intentional. Punk rock aesthetics, man."

"And here I thought you were simply too lazy to sew it up."

Newt snorts. "I don't know how to sew, Holly Hobby."

"Well, perhaps you ought to learn if you allow your clothes to fall into such disrepair," Hermann says, moving some of his books from his desk to a box, ready to return home with him.

"Dude, I already told you I like them the way they are."

"It's unprofessional, and it makes you look like a ragamuffin."

"A _ragamuffin_? Jesus, are you a hundred and eighty years old? Who even says shit like that?"

"As you well know, we are within a year of age, _Doctor_."

"You know just how to wound me, Hermann. After all we've been through and it's still _Doctor_."  
Hermann rolls his eyes. "Don't worry, man, I know you still dig me."

And ze means that literally -- while the ghost drift has faded to the point where the two of them can't access each other's memories or thoughts anymore, there's still enough leftover empathy to let them know how the other feels, and Newt can feel "exasperated fondness" rolling off Hermann in waves. Ze's still good.

"Yes, unfortunately," says Hermann. "Against my better judgement."

They continue packing up the lab like that, friendly banter slung from one end of the room to the other, along with the occasional book and a small piece of kaiju tentacle. When they break for lunch, they've gotten most of the important stuff boxed up, but the lab is going to need a thorough cleaning.

"Newton," Hermann says, as the two of them eat in the cleanest corner of the room, "I don't believe I've asked you yet. What do you intend to do when we depart from the Shatterdome?"

Newt shrugs, picking at the hole in zer leggings. "Go back to the States, I guess. Maybe find a new teaching position. Why?"

"Just like you, not to have any plans," he sighs.

"What? Not all of us can be Mister Family Man, all right? And not just because I can't be 'mister' anything."

"Very funny, Newton." He takes another bite out of his lunch, chews it, swallows. Not like Newt, who would just talk around it. "Would you like to be, though?"

"Like to be what?"

"A family person."

"I've never really thought about it," Newt says, twirling zer fork in the air. "The only person who's put up with me long enough for it to be possible is _you_ and much as I know you love me, I don't think you want me to have your next baby. No offense."

"None taken," Hermann says, sounding slightly baffled by the statement.

"Besides, you've already got Vanessa, and despite what people might think of me, I'm not that much of a raging asshole, and I've been in your head -- I know the two of you don't swing that way, if you catch my drift. Shit, I can't believe I just made that joke, and it wasn't even on purpose."

"Newton."

"I mean, you already know I'm romancing for you, there's no point in pretending I'm not, but I draw the line at people who are already taken. That's just a dick move. And you're having a baby! Fuck, that makes everything like a million times worse! I feel like I should apologize to your fetus --"

"Newton, you're rambling."

"-- and to Vanessa, especially to her, man. Ha, her, man, Hermann, that's the second one of these today, I am on a roll! She's such a nice lady, and she took the drifting story like a _champ_ , man, like most people would probably flip their shit if you up and Skyped them one day about how you and your lab partner got up in each other's brains, you know? But she was just like --"

Hermann cuts off zer rambling in what's probably the most effective way. Or second-most, behind handing Newt some sort of horrible snack food.

"Dude!" ze squawks. "Did you just kiss me? Like, on the mouth?"

"I thought that was self-evident."

"Did you not just hear me telling you about your wife?!"

Hermann sighs, as if this is the most tedious possible avenue of conversation, and not, as Newt would consider it, the most important.

"Yes, I listened to every moment of your babbling, and yes, I am aware that I have a wife."

"Then what did you do that for?!"

"Could you kindly stop shrieking in my ear? I kissed you because I feel the same way about you as you do me, and before you screech about it some more, I have already spoken to Vanessa on the matter."

Newt attempts to picture that conversation. It's exceedingly difficult. "And she was okay with it?"

"She informed me that she was expecting a similar call long before this one."

"Like, what, she thought we were hate-banging each others' brains out already?"

"Something like that," he answers, wincing a little at Newt's language. "I did have to clear up several of the misconceptions in that statement."

"And I thank you for it," Newt tells him, doffing an imaginary cap.

"She understands that our relationship is complicated, but that it has developed into something of a more traditionally romantic, if not sexual, nature, and that we are still currently in the grip of the ghost drift. She also has become rather fond of you from your frequent appearances during our video conferences."

"I think you may have found the greatest woman on the planet, man."

"Yes, I think so too. She has invited you to stay with us when we leave the Shatterdome, if you are amenable to the arrangement."

"Back up like five steps, bro. I didn't see like _any_ of this shit in your head when I was in it. Not the two of you being okay with a third, not you having a thing for me beyond our fucked-up, apparently drift-compatible friendship, nothing."

"My best guess is that it was concealed so well you did not notice, or that it was simply not one of the memories that remained with you. The human brain cannot contain even all the memories of one life, let alone two."

"Seems like a pretty big thing to miss out on," Newt grumbles.

Hermann shrugs slightly. "I'm afraid I cannot explain it sufficiently, but rest assured, I expected to come out of that drift with you knowing that particular secret."

"Yeah, but instead you got all mine and I didn't get yours."

"Newton, those 'secrets' were not as well-hidden as you imagine, even before I gained the ability to read your mind."

"You never told me you knew!"

"I didn't think you would have wanted me to make a fuss!"

He's got zer there. "You've got me there. Okay, next thing. If you want to be with me and Vanessa, and she's okay with me living in her house, what kind of relationship does she want from me?"

"Simple friendship, though she says she is not averse to a romantic relationship, should that form."

"And you would be okay with that?"

"Of course. I know you often think of me as old-fashioned, Newton, but I didn't crawl out of the Dark Ages."

"And Vanessa knows about --" ze gestures to zer outfit, the scruffy beard and men's shirt at odds with zer skirt and leggings. Newt can't remember if ze ever popped up in the middle of one of the Gottliebs' Skype calls looking anything other than zer designated gender ( _why does dressing masculinely count as "neutral" that is literally the dumbest thing on the face of this planet I don't want to have to come out to every single person I meet on a day I happen to be wearing trousers_ )

"Yes, she is fully aware that you are genderfluid, Newton."

"Next next thing. Aren't you worried I'm going to like, ruin your baby?"

"I suspect that regardless of my actions you will become influential in their life, and frankly I would rather keep you where I can keep an eye on you."

"How romantic," Newt says, dryly.

"It's only one of many reasons I would like to have you around."

"The others being my massive intellect and hot bod?"

"You make a lot of sexual remarks for someone with no interest in the actual act."

Newt shrugs. "Just one of my many endearing habits."

"You have not answered my question."

"I'd kind of like to think about it, dude! This ain't the kind of thing you just spring on someone!"

"Surprisingly responsible and logical, coming from you."

"Shut up, Hermann."

* * *

Two weeks later, Newt finds zerself crammed into the back of the Gottliebs' car on the way home from the airport. As if there was any doubt.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like it's probably relevant to note that I myself am a panromantic polyamorous non-binary asexual, but I welcome corrections on those fronts from anyone of a similar persuasion!


End file.
